It all began in 1953. The desire of utility fleet managers for a convention of their own, one that would address the specific needs of their operations, became the mission and vision of Joseph B. Baker, the founder of Baker Equipment Engineering Company, and Jean Y. Ray, the fleet manager at Virginia Electric Power Company (now part of Dominion Power), who hosted the first "Public Utility Fleet Managers Conference" at the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia. While the conference did not officially change its name to the Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference until 1964, EUFMC was born.

It was at that first meeting that the attendees decided to gather annually, and to move the event to Colonial Williamsburg. There they found ample space for manufacturers to demonstrate equipment and at the Williamsburg Lodge, a first class facility for information sessions and social gatherings. EUFMC now had what would become its permanent home.

In its early years, EUFMC was truly a "public utility" conference. Its membership included fleet managers from electric, telephone and gas utilities, among others. By the early 1960s, its founders had redefined the focus of the conference, centering more on electric utility issues.

"Fleet topics and discussions at EUFMC have been greatly improved over the years, which adds to the value of the conference. This conference has proven to be a valuable resource for networking with other utilities as well as manufacturers. Other shows are not designed this way. If I were a fleet manager who could only attend one event, this would be the one I would choose."

EUFMC Presidents

Since 1951, when the first meetings to plan the inaugural EUFMC in 1953 took place, 33 fleet managers from operations across the United States have served as president of the conference.

1951-1953: Jean Y. Ray, Virginia Electric & Power Company

1954-1956: Joseph A. Dodge, Potomac Electric Power Company

1957-1958: Edward W. Jahn, Baltimore Gas & Electric Company

1959-1960: G. Fred Murphy, Appalachian Power Company

1961-1962: J. Hopkins Davis, Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co.

1963-1964 Joseph A. Jones, Jr., Duke Power Company

1965-1966: G. Fred Murphy, Appalachian Power Company

1967-1968: D. Frank Shiphorst, Florida Power Corporation

1969-1970: Robert E. Donnelly, Georgia Power Company

1971-1972: C. Clyde Crockett, Louisiana Power & Light Company

1973-1974: John W. Phillips, Jr., Florida Power & Light Company

1975-1976: J. C. Castleberry, Alabama Power Company

1977-1978: W. E. Caesar, Union Electric Company

1979-1980: G. R. Harrington, Philadelphia Electric Company

1981: A. L. Stebar, Appalachian Power Company

1982-1985: R. O. Rosenmeier, Public Service Electric & Gas Company

1986-1987: J. R. Archer, Tampa Electric Company

1988-1989: H.A. Hanson, Georgia Power Company

1990: C.W. Paugh, New York State Electric & Gas

1991-1992: V. B. Burwell, Duke Power Company

1993-1994: G. J. Harter, Monongahela Power Company

1995-1996: W. G. Doggett, Kentucky Utilities Company

1997-1998: P. R. Allums, Alabama Power Company

1999: R. J. Kester, South Carolina Electric & Gas

2000-2001: H. E. Hughes, Jr., TXU Business Services

2002-2003: F. J. Wooldridge, Progress Energy-Florida

2004: K. A. Dinan, American Electric Power

2005-2006: T. A. Horobiowski, Avista Corporation

2007–2008: R.M. Mento, The United Illuminating Co.

2009-2010: W. C. Keller, PPL

2011-2102: George Survant, Florida Power & Light

2013-2014: Gerald Owens, Oncor Electric Delivery

2015-2016: Jack Abraham, Nova Scotia Power

2017-2018: Mike Allison, Duke Energy

EUFMC quickly became a must attend event and invitations were sought after by fleet managers and manufacturers alike. To attend the conference in its early years, utility and supplier representatives had to be invited.

The tradition of ensuring a high quality group of attendees at EUFMC continued as the conference grew from a local and regional event into one that is national and international in scope.

Today, vendors are still invited to attend the conference. Fleet managers from investor-owned electric utilities are joined by their peers from electric cooperatives, and electrical contractors.

The First EUFMC Logo

EUFMC 1954 Group Photo
Photo Courtesy of Baker Equipment

"I have been attending EUFMC for 58 years. The conference has always been about attaining knowledge from fellow attendees that you could not get anywhere else. Vendors and utility representatives come here with knowledge of products and what works in their operations. I don't think there is another conference in the country where the contacts and knowledge gained by utility people and vendors can be surpassed."

Lenny FernandezUtility Sales ManagerReading Truck Body

"Some things never change and that's a good thing about EUFMC. At the conference, fleet managers were concerned about how to save maintenance costs, and we were very interested in new technologies, such as electric, natural gas and light-duty diesel trucks. EUFMC has always been a great conference where we could learn about fleet ideas and make more effective decisions."

Ven BurwellRetired Fleet Manager, Duke PowerEUFMC President 1991-1992

EUFMC has always been organized by utility fleet representatives for utility fleet representatives. The Board of Directors consists mainly of utility fleet managers, all volunteers who devote time to the conference with the support of their companies.

Decade-by-decade EUFMC has served the changing needs of utility fleets and addressed the continuing advent of new technologies. Conference programs listing topics of discussions across the years tell the story:

Today

After 60 years of educating fleet professionals, EUFMC continues to offer timely and relevant presentations by industry experts, manufacturers and fleets. In recent years and in 2013, the conference program has covered the latest vehicle, equipment and shop technologies, and regulatory, operations, purchasing and specification, inspection and maintenance, and other fleet management topics. Presentation topics at recent conferences have included:

Life Cycle Cost Models

Best Practices in Preventive Maintenance

Diesel Engines - Current and Future

Shop Safety and Technology

Fuel Management

Fleet Metrics

"As a fleet manager on the west coast, I regularly read about the invitation-only fleet managers' conference held in Williamsburg each year. After ten years as a fleet manager, I received an invitation to attend and was thrilled as could be. All the larger and more innovative utilities seemed to be in attendance each year and I was excited to finally meet some of the movers and shakers who were often highlighted in the trade journals. The attendance, organization and cutting edge presentations and activities were everything I had anticipated."

Over the years, EUFMC has grown. In 1961, 28 fleet managers and about 25 suppliers attended. By the early 1970s, attendance had expanded to include roughly 35 to 40 fleets and an equal number of suppliers. In the 1990's, attendance figures showed about 60 fleets and the same number of supplier were on hand. Today, EUFMC hosts 100 fleets managers and over 250 representatives from more than 95 manufacturers and service providers.

Traditionally, EUFMC has been the time and place for manufacturers to showcase new products and services for electric utility fleets. As vendor support for the conference grew so did the venues it used.

The original equipment demonstration on the lawn of the Williamsburg Lodge moved to a parking area that is now the site of Tazewell Hall. Other locations included the parking lots of the Golden Horseshoe golf course and the Bruton Heights School, as well as the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center parking area. At one point in time, the annual drive-through demonstration took place alongside the Williamsburg Lodge on South England Street.

"About 45 years ago when I first started attending EUFMC the event was less organized, and of course it was much smaller. There were also special needs to be met. For example, we had to use ramps to get equipment over curbs safely, and in front of the golf course we often removed and replanted shrubs, and even trimmed trees so aerials could be put in the air."

Bill CaulkinsVice PresidentSherman & Reilly

"While some of the original manufacturers at EUFMC are no longer in business, there has always been an effort by suppliers to bring engineers to the show, people who can talk to fleets, listen to their suggestions and solve problems. That's one reason it was always desirable to be invited. It's an original concept that still stands because it's a good one."

"The quality of the people who attend EUFMC has always been great, and that includes the way the conference involves spouses. Having your family there made it more like a working vacation, and that was enjoyable. It has also led to many personal relationships with people who are our friends to this day."

Many industry conferences and equipment exhibitions have come and gone over the last 60 years, but the Electric Utility Fleet Manager's Conference has continued and been successful because it has not lost sight of its original mission - to bring together decision makers from both sides of the partnership between fleets and manufacturers.

Today the economy and industry mergers and acquisitions challenge electric utility fleets in new ways. Fleet managers are dealing with a wider range of issues, making the role of EUFMC even more valuable.

"EUFMC is a close knit group that accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time. It was always a pleasure to work with other fleet managers. The bottom line is that this was a good organization and it still is."

For many long-time attendees, EUFMC is known as "the Williamsburg Show." After 60 years, the event is well established in the nation's most famous Colonial Capital.

Williamsburg, Virginia was founded in 1699. In 1693, the College of William and Mary was established there as a center of learning. It has also been a place of innovation and at the center of history. Located in Williamsburg is the first hospital in America for the care and treatment of mental illness, and it was there in 1781 that General George Washington assembled the Continental Army for the siege of Yorktown and the winning of American independence. It was also in Williamsburg, in the early part of the 20th Century, that Dr. Goodwin persuaded philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. to finance the restoration of Virginia's colonial capital to its 18th Century grandeur.

Those examples of visionary thinking are what make up the fabric of Colonial Williamsburg. A vision also led the founders of the Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference to establish an annual tradition that has stood the test time for six decades, and in its own way constitutes a "treasure the value of which will increase with the passing years."

"It's hard to imagine that any group can stick to its founding principles after so long. But this group of industry professionals seems to be endowed with a healthy 1950s work ethic of "an honest day's pay for an honest day worked." Yes it has grown significantly, and the topics of conference discussions have changed with evolving technology and work practices, but the groups' fundamental reason for assembling in the Colonial Capital year after year hasn't. Fleet managers come to Williamsburg to learn and share."

"EUFMC is one of the better conferences offered in the utility fleet industry. Its content and speakers are all very good, its structured schedule is very well coordinated, and it offers a great opportunity for networking."

Michael Smith
Manager
UIL Holdings

EUFMC Leadership Sponsors

PO Box 500
Williamsburg, VA 23187-0500

Phone: (757) 220-1795

EUFMC Mission Statement

EUFMC is an annual event with a unique atmosphere and an educational format that allows utility fleet professionals to view the latest fleet products and technology, attend sessions on the most pertinent topics of fleet management, while also providing roundtable discussions on those topics and encouraging the attendees to network with their industry peers and the manufacturer/vendor community.